Wrestling Heritage

Wasn’t Masambula just made to outwit villains like Steve Haggetty and Buster Martin?  And didn’t he sure have the class to take regular verdicts over top name villains like Mick Mick McManus and Steve Logan?

Surprisingly often, however, he was opposed by the likes of Bert Royal and Mike Marino, matchmaking which seemed at initial glance to be uncomfortable for his style.  So it was not without some trepidation that we tuned in to this classic 1972 rerun with the African Witchdoctor, all leopard-skin and rolling eyes, opposed by one of the classical stylists, multi-titled Tony Charles from the Rhonda Valley.

The bout ran the regulation 25 minutes to a 1-1 draw.  So often Masambula was deemed not to be beaten, but his antics were also somehow deemed unworthy of outright victory.  He must hold the title for involvement in the greatest number of  inconclusive bouts.

As usual, we are not so interested in the destination that is a mere resut, but the scenic route taken to get there.  And this was a beauty of a ride.  From that initial backcloth of concern, both players fought out a highly entertaining bout for late night screening.

Masambula’s agility was on full display, and he demonstrated plenty of textbook and innovative counters to the Welshman’s undoubted skills.  Painful looking back hammer throws, monkey climbs and all manner of leg locks created a rich variety of action.

He also managed to provide just the right amount of clowning over a long haul to make it all believable.  Let’s revisit this fundamental point at the very heart of our fascination, believability.  In these knowing years we are armed with VCR rewind buttons and can dissect and analyse every second of our heroes’ work.  But then it was not so.  Other controversial and even jocular sports stars of the time such as Harvey Smith, George Best, Cassius Clay, Hurricane Higgins and Lester Piggott ensured we were receptive to all kinds of antics, and wrestling just ensured it had a few more characters than most other sports.  At no time did we doubt Masambula’s ring mastery, as every couple of minutes he would remind us of what he was made of.

It was fascinating to note how the necklaced ladies and necktied gentlemen at 1972 ringside saved their loudest rounds of applause for two sporting moments when Masambula declined to administer first a head butt and second a potentially painful leg stretch.  Such applause allowed an interaction with the wrestlers at some kind of ethical level and is one of the many fossils from a time gone by and, in part, an explanation of why professional wrestling can never regain the glory years.

Tony Charles had no easy task – but then which Masambula opponent ever did?  He went along with the fun as far as possible, demonstrating that he just couldn’t put up with all the leg twitching, but falling short of ever succumbing to the African’s regular calls of “Him say yes?”  On the occasions he was able to display his own mat skills, Mas was more than capable of trading holds.

The highlight, as ever, was Masambula’s victory celebration on his opponent’s corner post.  Gee he threw himself into it!  His legs looked like catapulting into the tenth row.  This must have gone wrong at times, if he always flung himself into it with such verve.

The only disappointment is a much levelled criticism, the target of which are often the seasoned and perhaps lazy pros, and even the energetic Masambula cannot be excused laziness of thought in this his twentieth year at the very top.  Why oh why when they got to the final round, with the score level, did wrestlers make so little visible attempt to secure victory, preferring to play out time in leg locks, on comedy, and basically on holds that were leading nowhere?

This otherwise delightful spectacle was framed within the most impeccable emceeing by Ernest Lofthouse, an authoritative voice who descriptively and successfully made us feel privileged to have witnessed such action.

Masambula versus Tony Charles, Leicester, 9^th February 1972.